Editorial Note on Part 622
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 622 appear at 79 FR 57837, Sept. 26, 2014 and at 81 FR 32253, May 23, 2016.

§ 622.187 Bag and possession limits. ( a ) *Additional applicability provisions for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.* Section 622.11(a) provides the general applicability for bag and possession limits. However, § 622.11(a) notwithstanding: ( 1 ) The bag and other limits specified in § 622.182(b) apply for South Atlantic snapper-grouper in or from the EEZ to a person aboard a vessel for which a commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued that has on board a longline in the longline closed area.
( 2 ) A person aboard a vessel for which a commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued must comply with the bag limits specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section for South Atlantic snapper-grouper taken with a powerhead, regardless of where taken, when such snapper-grouper are possessed in an SMZ specified in § 622.182(a)(1)(xii) through (a)(1)(xviii) or (a)(1)(xl) through (a)(1)(li).
( 3 ) In the South Atlantic EEZ, a vessel that lawfully harvests snapper-grouper in Bahamian waters, as per § 622.186 (b), must comply with the bag and possession limits specified in this section. For determining how many snapper-grouper are on board a vessel in fillet form when harvested lawfully in Bahamian waters, two fillets of snapper-grouper, regardless of the length of each fillet, is equivalent to one snapper-grouper. The skin must remain intact on the entire fillet of any snapper-grouper carcass.
( b ) *Bag limits* — ( 1 ) *Greater amberjack* —1.
( 2 ) *Grouper and tilefish, combined* —3. Within the 3-fish aggregate bag limit: ( i ) No more than one fish may be gag or black grouper, combined. However, no gag or black grouper may be retained by the captain or crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for such captain and crew is zero; ( A ) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for gag, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a private recreational vessel may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per day.
( B ) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for gag, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per trip.
( C ) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for black grouper, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a private recreational vessel may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per day.
( D ) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for black grouper, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per trip.
( ii ) No more than one fish per vessel may be a snowy grouper;
( iii ) No more than one fish may be a golden tilefish; and
( iv ) No more than two fish may be blueline tilefish. However, no blueline tilefish may be retained by the captain or crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for such captain and crew is zero.
( v ) No goliath grouper or Nassau grouper may be retained.
( 3 ) *Hogfish.* ( i ) In the South Atlantic EEZ off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina—2.
( ii ) In the South Atlantic EEZ off the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida, and in the Gulf EEZ south of 25°09′ N. lat. off the west coast of Florida—1.
( 4 ) *Snappers, combined* —10. ( i ) Within the 10-fish bag limit, no more than 5 fish may be mutton snapper.
( ii ) Excluded from this 10-fish bag limit are cubera snapper, measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, in the South Atlantic off Florida, and red snapper and vermilion snapper. (See § 622.181(b)(2) for the prohibitions on harvest or possession of red snapper, except during a limited recreational fishing season, and § 622.181(c)(1) for limitations on cubera snapper measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, in or from the South Atlantic EEZ off Florida.)
( 5 ) *Vermilion snapper* —5.
( 6 ) *Red porgy.* 1.
( 7 ) *Black sea bass—7.*
( 8 ) *South Atlantic snapper-grouper (whitebone porgy, jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, saucereye porgy, scup, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor's choice, Atlantic spadefish, gray triggerfish, bar jack), combined* —20. However, excluded from this 20-fish bag limit are tomtate, South Atlantic snapper-grouper ecosystem component species (specified in table 4 of appendix A to part 622), and those specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) and paragraphs (b)(9) and (10) of this section. Within the 20-fish bag limit, no more than 10 fish can be of any one of these single snapper-grouper species.
( 9 ) *Red snapper* —1.
( 10 ) No more than one fish per vessel may be a wreckfish.
( 11 ) *Longline bag limits.* Other provisions of this paragraph (b) notwithstanding, a person on a trip aboard a vessel for which the bag limits apply that has a longline on board is limited on that trip to the bag limit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper for which a bag limit is specified in this paragraph (b), and to zero for all other South Atlantic snapper-grouper. For the purposes of this paragraph (b)(11), a vessel is considered to have a longline on board when a power-operated longline hauler, a cable or monofilament of diameter and length suitable for use in the longline fishery, and gangions are on board. Removal of any one of these elements constitutes removal of a longline.
( c ) *Possession limits.* ( 1 ) Provided each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the duration of the trip— ( i ) A person aboard a charter vessel or headboat on a trip that spans more than 24 hours may possess no more than two daily bag limits of species other than red porgy.
( ii ) A person aboard a headboat on a trip that spans more than 48 hours and who can document that fishing was conducted on at least 3 days may possess no more than three daily bag limits of species other than red porgy.
( 2 ) A person aboard a vessel may not possess red porgy in or from the EEZ in excess of one per day or one per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 78 FR 44465, July 24, 2013; 78 FR 78775, Dec. 27, 2013; 80 FR 16587, Mar. 30, 2015; 80 FR 80688, Dec. 28, 2015; 81 FR 45248, July 13, 2016; 82 FR 34594, July 25, 2017; 83 FR 1309, Jan. 11, 2018; 83 FR 35435, July 26, 2018; 85 FR 11309, Feb. 27, 2020; 87 FR 77747, Dec. 20, 2022; 88 FR 65146, Sept. 21, 2023; 88 FR 76701, Nov. 7, 2023]